Tax Reforms Back on Table in Frankfort

As the wheels slowly turn on Governor Steve Beshear’s tax commission, observers are wondering what changed the governor’s mind on taxes in the first place. All last year the governor said he wasn’t in favor of changing the tax code during a recession, while his opponent David Williams constantly advocated for it. But after his re-election, the governor created a new commission to study the issue. Beshear says it wasn’t a change at all.

“Well I haven’t really changed my mind," he says. "I still feel right now, this year is not a good time to be changing the tax system significantly. So what we’re going to do is start the process this year looking at all of the different options that we have.”

He adds that no reforms will come out this year.

“My opportunity that I see is next year to start putting in place whatever tax reform ideas that we can find consensus on,” Beshear says.

Many lawmakers are interested in tax reform, but no proposals have been fully vetted in the General Assembly yet. The commission is led by Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson.